Metal fence post



Dec. 15, 1936. wlLLMAN 2,064,237

METAL FENCE POST Filed Nov. 8, 1935 I awe/M 04 -fl llfilzmai Q, 531 J I1 W Patented Dec. 15, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,064,237 METALFENCE ros'r' Daniel Willman, Hartford City, Ind. Application November 8,1335, Serial No. 4 8,933

3 Claims.

This invention relates to metal fence posts and more particularly to afence post formed from a strip of strong metal bent to assume thedesired shape.

One object of the invention is to provide a metal fence post formed froma single strip of metal and so bent that the resulting fence post willbe very strong and prevented from being bent out of its proper shape orshifted out of a vertical position when subjected to strain.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fence post having spacedflanges formed with wire receiving slots so formed that while fencewires may be easily applied to or disconnected from the post, they willbe prevented from accidentally slipping out of the wire receiving slotsof the post.

Another object of the invention is to provide a metal fence post whichis of simplified construction and very strong and durable.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure1 is a perspective view showing the improved fence post in use with thefence wires engaged therewith.

Figure 2 is a view showing the fence post in side elevation andillustrating the manner in which the fence wires are retained in thewire receiving slots of the post.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the post.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of a fence post having a modifiedconstruction.

This improved fence post is formed from an elongated strip of metalwhich may be steel, iron, or any other desired metal which will not beliable to rust or corrode and is of sufiicient thickness to impart thedesired strength to the post. The metal blank or strip from which thepost is formed is crimped intermediate its Width to form a rib or web Iof double thickness projecting rearwardly from the flat body 2 of thepost and extending the full length of the post. Side portions of thestrip are formed with slots 3 and 4 which lead from marginal edgesthereof and are spaced from each other longitudinally of the strip andafter the strip has been bent to form the web or rib I, the sideportions of the strip are folded along inner ends of the slots toprovide the post with side flanges 5 and 6 projecting forwardly from thebody or back 2 of the post. Referring to Figures 1 and 2 it will be seenthat while inner ends of companion slots 3 and 4 terminate in the samehorizontal plane, the slots 3 extend at an upward incline toward theiropen outer ends and the slots 4 extend at a downward incline towardtheir open outer ends. Therefore, when the wires 1 of a fence areapplied to the post, they must be distorted somewhat in order to bemoved into the companion slots 3 and 4. After the wires have beenengaged in the companion slots and moved to inner ends thereof, theywill extend horizontally across the back or body portion 2 of the postand may be slid easily through the slots when stretched. As thecompanion slots extend in diverging relation to each other from the bodyportion of the post as shown in Figure 2, the stretched wires will beprevented from sliding toward the open outer ends of the slots andaccidentally becoming disengaged from the post. The fact that the sideflanges 5 and 6 extend in converging relation to each other from thebody portion of the post, as shown in Figure 3, also assists inretaining the wires in the slots as this causes the slots to extenddiagonally of the wires when the post is viewed in top plan and if theWires attempt to move toward the outer ends of the slots a bindingaction will take place between the wires and the side flanges of thepost. By having the post formed with the rearwardly extending web I itwill be very effectively braced against bending when pressure is appliedto a fence by a horse or other strong animal attempting to force its waythrough the fence. The angular arrangement of the body 30 portion orback 2 of the post and the reinforcing web and side flanges shown inFigure 5 alsoserves to brace the post against pressure applied in alldirections and causes the post to be maintained in a vertical positionwhen embedded in the ground for use. It will thus be seen that a metalfence post formed in accordance with this invention will be simple inconstruction, cheap to manufacture and very strong and durable andprovided with wire-receiving slots so formed that while fence wires maybe easily engaged in the slots or removed therefrom, they will beprevented from accidentally slipping out of the slots.

In Figure 4 there has been shown a modified construction wherein thepost 8 is formed as a unitary structure from rolled or forged steel. Inthis embodiment of the invention the web 9 is formed integral with thebody of the post instead of by folding a metal strip and the sideflanges 10 to conform to the flanges 5 and 6.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: L

1. A fence post formed from a strip of metal crimped intermediate itswidth to form a flat body portion having a longitudinally extending webof double thickness projecting rearwardly therefrom, side portions ofthe metal strip being bent to project forwardly from the body inconverging relation to each other and formed with transversely extendingslots opening through their forward edges and each straight throughoutits length, the slots of one side flange extending forwardly at anupward incline and the slots of the other side flange extendingforwardly at a downward incline, and companion slots of the flangeshaving their inner ends in th same horizontal plane. V 2. A fence postformed from a strip of metal bent to provide a body having a rearwardlyextending web intermediate its width and forwardly projecting sideflanges, said flanges converging forwardly and being formed withtransversely extending wire receiving slots opening through theirforward marginal edges and each straight throughout its length, theslots of one flange being disposed at an upward incline and the slots ofthe other flange at a downward incline, and companion slots having theirinner ends in the same horizontal plane.

3. A fence post comprising an elongated flat body having alongitudinally extending rib projecting rearwardly therefromintermediate its width, and flanges projecting forwardly at oppositesides of the body, said flanges being formed with transversely extendingwire receiving slots leading from their forward marginal edges and eachstraight throughout its length, the slots of one flange being disposedat an upward incline incline.

DANIEL WILLMAN.

